I was recently re-watching the season three finale in preparation for the première of season four of Battlestar Galactica. If you don’t already watch it – you should!

I was thinking about the final scene and the connections between the lyrics and the past events of BSG, with a possible reference to the future:

“There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief” is fairly obviously connected to the final four learning that they are Cylons. Imagine how you would feel if you woke up one day and realised you were a machine?

“Two riders were approaching,” fairly obviously referring to the two Vipers flown by Starbuck and Apollo.

“There are many here among us,” a reference to cylons within the fleet.

“No reason to get excited,” say the lyrics; “It’s really me,” says Starbuck – Uncanny.

Therefore the Theif in the song would be Starbuck leaving the Joker as Apollo.

“The wind began to howl” – The Cylons showing up.

“Feel that life is but a joke,” – which is Starbuck’s general attitude throughout the whole show.

“You and I we’ve been through that” – Alluding to their past (and current?) romantic relationship.

“And this is not our fate” – Apparently shutting the door.

Before apparently opening it again with: “Lets not talk falsely now – the hour is getting late,” meaning lets hook up before it’s over and/or we die.

Bob Dylan – All Along the Watchtower:

“There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief,
“There’s too much confusion, I can’t get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth.”

“No reason to get excited,” the thief, he kindly spoke,
“There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and I, we’ve been through that, and this is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.”

All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too.

Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl,
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.